The baker and the hunter
by Meow the Unicorn
Summary: Gale goes to the bakery to trade-in a dead bunny, when he first meets Peeta. He looks at a rather interesting drawing the other boy has made


_The baker and the hunter_

Gale climbed back over the fence to district twelve. The dead bunny was hanging by it`s ears in his hand. He didn't like the thought of just having killed an innocent creature; but it was rather the bunny or his own family, and of course, the choice was clear then. His bare feet was dirty with mud as he walked by the outskirts (?) of his district. He looked upon the Victor`s village with dreaming eyes. If he only won the hunger games, he and his family would live there with not a fear in the world. And maybe his new friend Katniss and her family could live there too; the twelve year old boy wasn't clear on the rules for living there.

He was young, and foolish, and a part of him even wanted his name to be yelled when he was older; but of course, he would not survive the hunger games if he was chosen. He was a good hunter, sure, but that was not good enough against the children from district one and two who had trained for this all their lives.

The black-haired boy shook the idea out of his head, and walked down to the townsquare. There everything were; the shop where you could buy clothes other had made, if you were richer than he was, and the bakery. He smiled slightly and walked up to the bakery`s door; perhaps he could switch the bunny against some newmade bread. The thought of real, warm food made his mouth go watery, so he tried not to inhale the smell as he entered the shop. It was impossible, though; bread, cakes, muffins, _everything_ the young boy could imagine was on display in glasscases.

He walked up to the desk and was surprised to find a boy slightly younger than him standing there, instead of himself.

«Err.. is madam Mellark here?» Gale tried, unsure of what to do. He hated situations like this; finding himself in a situation he hadn't prepared himself for. But he would do his best.

The boy looked up from whatever he was doing behind the desk. Blue, frightened eyes found his own, before he smiled nervous. «My mother is out for the moment, I`m guarding the store,»

Gale placed the dead animal on the desk, and he could see the Mellark-boy back away from it, with a slightly disgusted look upon his face. He was clearly a person who hadn't seen many dead animals in his life; at least not killed anything.

«Do you know what I could get for this?» Gale asked. The blonde looked a bit lost, shaking his head in a slightly apologizing matter. «I am sorry; I do not know, sir,» the other replied, finding himself in the same situation Gale had been in a few minutes back.

«It`s OK,» Gale reassured him. «And you don`t need to call me that,»

«Then what shall I call you?»

«Gale,»

The other boy smiled. «You are free to wait here if you`d like, until my mother get`s back. She probably won`t be happy, though; as i failed to do my job,»

«It`s fine. I`ll just say I came over to see you. I can cook the hare; it`s fine,» Gale smiled swiftly. «I`ll just head home,»

The boy with the clear blue eyes looked at him, with a slightly desperate expression. «Can`t you stay?» he asked in something like a whisper. «I get so lonely, it`s no costumers today,»

Gale nodded, though he knew he should probably head home.

«I`m Peeta, by the way,»

«Like the bread? That`s a nice name,» Gale smiled, heading towards the door and indicating (?) the other to follow him. They sat down on the porch. «Yes, perhaps that is why they gave me the name. Gale is nice too,»

They sat in quiet for a while, until Gale discovered a notebook under Peetas arm.

«Are you writing?» he asked surprised; it was only a few people who sat time of to write stories of beautiful countries and better times in their district. He could see the baker`s son blush, and look away.

«More like drawing, actually,»

«Wow,» the other boy smiled. «Can i take a look?»

Peeta shook his head, the grip on the notebook tightening.

«Come on, we`re friends,» Gale said. This seemed to soften Peeta up, at least the blonde let go of the notebook enough for Gale to take it and open it. He skipped trough some pages, looking more closely at details at some of them.

«Katniss,» he remarked by a drawing of his best friend. «Do you know her?»

Peeta shook his head. «At least she doesn't know me,»

Gale skipped to more pages, before he froze at one. It was two boys kissing; not that Gale had anything against that. But more precisely those boys were Peeta and himself.

The boy next to him seemed to have discovered the drawing too, flushed, (?) and looked away.

«I... need to go back inside. In case there comes customers,» he said, though it didn't really make sense; they sat outside the only exit.

He was about to walk by Gale, not bothering to collect his notebook, when the greyeyed boy tugged his sleeve and he stopped.

«This is us,» he remarked, rather idiotic.

«Yes, i know that!» Peeta snapped. He didn't seemed like the person to do such a thing, but he had a rather wild expression on his face, caused to the embarrassment.

«Sit down, Peeta; calm down,»

«Why?»

«Because I don`t mind the drawing,»

Peeta frowned by this, and his thoughts seemed to re-set themselves, but he did sit down by his new friend. «I didn't know you knew me before today?» Gale said, trying to keep his voice as steady and soft as possible. He didn't want Peeta to feel this uncomfortable; even though he wasn't sure how to react to what he had seen.

«I do. I know a lot of people who doesn't notice me. I just blend in with the crowed, therefore you have not seen me watching you,» Peeta seemed calmer now, at least his voice was steady when he spoke.

«You`ve been watching me?»

Peeta nodded, his cheeks still quite red. Gale thought it suited him, blushing like that.

«I have looked at you for years. I know where you live, I know you`ll be of to the col-mines (?) when you grow older, but I don`t want you too,» Gale could see the other boy`s lip tremble, and he pulled him into a hug before the other could object. He kept his strong arms around the little baker as he spoke. «I am so afraid you will die there. Like so many have done before, with the accident and all. If you die I... I don`t know what.. I..» Peeta stopped. It looked like he would burst into tears any time soon, but surprisingly his voice was as steady as always when he continued. «I have liked you since I was eight. I want more than anything that you could work here with me, but you can`t. Mum won`t allow it; and I wouldn't want her to be near you either way. She... can be rather brutal,»

The blonde looked away as Gale pulled him even closer to his chest. Not that Gale had any idea what he was doing, but it seemed really important to him for the other boy to be happy, so he wanted to chear him up.

He kissed the boy in his blonde locks as he continued to speak, but irritating enough Peeta didn't seem to notice. Perhaps it was because his hair was more curly and had more volume than Gales had.

«Please... don`t get harmed. Ever.»

«I can`t promise you that, Peeta, you know I can`t make promises. Soon i might even be of to the hunger games, if i`m unlucky,» or lucky, he added in his head. But it didn't seem so tempting to risk his life for living in fortune for the rest of his life anymore; it seemed, although it might be stupid, even more important to keep the other boy happy. He didn't know why he thought so, but he couldn't do anything but smile sadly as the blonde turned around and looked at him with blue eyes, sparkling from the tears who formed there. Gale pulled him closer, brushing his cheek against Peeta`s. «Shh, it`s ok. I won`t be picked. I promise,» he whispered.

«If you will I-I`ll... I`ll volunteer!» the other said in desperation. Gale`s eyes widened horrified, and he pulled back to look the boy firm in his eyes, to show that this was nothing to joke about; but Peeta seemed as serious as ever.

«Don`t.» Gale said. «Don`t you dare volunteer for me. I won`t let you,»

Peeta just shook his head against the others hand, who had by some reason ended up in Peetas hair, without Gale could explain why. He could neither explain why his face was getting closer to Peeta's, and as their noses brushed against each other, he smiled at the other boy «I won`t get picked,»

The boys kissed softly. No One was around to see them; no one else's lives had changed that second but themselves. Their lives would never be the same, they both knew. Even if they found other to be together with, this would always be a clear memory, and they would always be eachothers` first kiss.

«I won`t die, I promise,»


End file.
